


Christmas in the Winter Garden

by pips_n_chiaw



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-24
Updated: 2015-11-24
Packaged: 2018-05-03 02:55:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5273843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pips_n_chiaw/pseuds/pips_n_chiaw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco and Hermione enjoy a winter evening in the greenhouse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas in the Winter Garden

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas everyone! It's an honour to be nominated to participate in the D/Hr Advent. :) Thank you! Our prompt was earmuffs.

“Do you think I’m going to be the next Hagrid?” Draco asked idly, picking up a fallen flower from the ground and twirling it in his hand.

Hermione huffed a laugh from her place across the picnic blanket. It was dark in the greenhouse they were currently in, and the bluebell flames she had conjured seemed to add atmosphere rather than light. The darkness, coupled with her full tummy and the lavender plants beside her, made her drowsy. “I can’t imagine anyone coming after Hagrid. And I certainly can’t imagine you being the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts for the rest of your life.”

 “The next Filch, then.”

 “Can’t see that either.” She closed her eyes, leaning against the large clay pot behind her, and smiled contentedly. Although it was snowing outside, the warming charms on the greenhouse kept things nice and cozy inside.

 “Can’t you? It’s all I can see.” The bitterness in his voice had Hermione glancing at him, startled. “What?” he asked. “I can’t finish my schooling. I have to work here for at least ten years, helping Hagrid, helping Filch, helping Pomfrey and Sprout, anyone who needs it. Ten years! It might as well be forever.”

Hermione reached across the picnic blanket and picked up her beaded bag, rummaging inside for the two mugs and tumbler of hot chocolate that she had brought. Although there were no Dementors about, the warm drink would do Draco good. She knew he struggled to come to terms with what his life was now like, but this wasn’t how she wanted the evening to go.

“Draco, I don’t mean to sound – well – annoying, but you know you’re quite lucky with your sentence. Ten years here is a lot better than Azkaban,” she said as she unscrewed the cap and poured out the drink. “And yes, you can’t finish your education, but you don’t need N.E.W.T.s to succeed anyway, just look at Fre- look at George.” She glanced down at the cup in her hands for a few moments, trying to get her emotions under control, before leaning forward and handing him the mug. “Besides, your role is different from Hagrid and Filch’s.”

“Because I’m a jack-of-all-trades? Keeper of the Keys, Grounds, Greenhouses, Library, Bathrooms, Castle, Kitchens, Hospital Wing?”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Because you’re a snobby, rich, Pureblood aristocrat, something neither of them are. You’ve had so many good ideas on how to improve Hogwarts – this greenhouse, for example. Keeping the other six for teaching and using this one exclusively for growing medicinal and magical herbs and plants. Everything’s a lot more organized now, and the surplus herbs and products that the hospital wing don’t need go to St. Columba’s and St. Mungo’s. Your ideas for the vegetable garden were good too. And you know so many spells for the upkeep and maintenance of the castle, even Filch is impressed!”

Draco was quiet for a moment, blowing contemplatively over his hot chocolate. “I suppose that not everything my father taught me has been a lie.”

“You’re also really good at potions.”

“So are you. Professor Snape taught us well.”

“And the Christmas trees in the Great Hall are bigger than they’ve ever been! You did an amazing job with them.”

Draco finally cracked a smile. “I know you’re trying to make me feel better, but you’re stretching things just a bit. I haven’t done anything to this year’s Christmas trees except help Hagrid chop them down and take them into the castle. He grew them all by himself.”

“Well, I’m sure there are lots of other things you can take credit for. Professor McGonagall said you had a lot of input when they moved the Slytherin dormitories from the dungeons.”

“As the only Slytherin present, aside from Professor Slughorn, of course they’d ask me. But I see what you’re getting at,” Draco said. “I suppose I do quite a lot around here, and it’s quite nice to be useful.” His mood was slowly lifting. The hot chocolate helped, but Hermione’s efforts helped more. He hadn’t meant to spoil the evening by being so moody.

“Professor McGonagall did say that you’re only taking on such a wide range of tasks because there’s so much to be done. Once things have quieted down, you’ll find your niche,” she told him.

“For a student, you’re scarily well-informed about staff matters,” he teased. “But then again, you are a mature student. Older than some of the staff.”

“Hey, I’m not even a year older than you!” Hermione retorted. “And besides, I’m mostly doing independent study. That’s why you see so much of me.”

Although Hermione had missed her final year at Hogwarts due to the Horcrux hunt, she was nevertheless ahead of her classmates in many areas. She still completed all of the essays and assessments assigned by the teachers, but she wasn’t obliged to attend all classes, particularly when she knew the subject matter well, such as when they learned about Protean charms. To keep her challenged, the professors allowed her to do independent studies on topics she was interested in. As such, she was researching the treatment of house elves - still one of her passions - and was also attempting advanced Healing potions and learning Healing Charms in the hospital wing. It was there that she reconnected with Draco, who also helped Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing. Things had been awkward at first, since neither knew what to say to each other, always remembering what had occurred at Malfoy Manor. But slowly, they became friends, and that friendship deepened as the weeks went by.

“ Aren’t you worried that you’ll fail your N.E.W.T.s if you don’t follow the curriculum?” Draco asked curiously.

Hermione frowned, pondering his question. “I think the ‘me’ of last year would’ve been worried, if that makes sense. But after all we’ve gone through, I’ve come to realize there are more important things than curricula. I mean, I still want to get all my N.E.W.T.s, which is why I’m here, but I’m confident enough in myself that I know I don’t need to stress about it. The professors would let me know if there’s an area they think I need to focus on.”

“Wow, a relaxed Hermione Granger. Never thought I’d see the day.”

Hermione laughed. “I won’t be so relaxed as the exams draw closer,” she warned.

“I know,” he smirked. “That’s why I’m enjoying it now.”

She smiled, pleased and flattered that he enjoyed her company. His words were innocent, but the look in his eye was mildly flirtatious. Or perhaps that was wishful thinking on her part. “Speaking of relaxing, I heard you went out for drinks with Hagrid and Filch. How did that go?”

“Better than I thought,” Draco admitted reluctantly. “They’re surprisingly forgiving, considering the circumstances.”

“They know you didn’t kill Dumbledore,” Hermione said consolingly. Sensing that it was time to change the topic, she reached into her bag again. “Since you insist on not coming with me to stay with my parents this Christmas, I guess I’ll give you this now.” As she’d expected, Draco perked up at the sight of the brightly wrapped present. She scooted across the blanket to sit beside him. “Merry Christmas, Draco.”

“Thank you,” he replied, taking the box and giving it an experimental shake. “Should I open it now?”

“Please do. It might come in handy before Christmas.”

Raising one eyebrow curiously, Draco deftly unwrapped the gift and lifted the lid of the box. Inside was a pair of black earmuffs. He laughed. “Thanks, Hermione. I’ve been meaning to buy a pair. They’ll come in handy when I’m working with the mandrakes. Are you tired of seeing me in Sprout’s old, fluffy pink ones already?”

Hermione smiled, taking the earmuffs out of the box and carefully placing them over his head. “The earmuffs are charmed to filter out only the mandrake cries,” she told him, watching his face light up with surprise as he realised he could still hear her. “That should prevent anyone from sneaking up on you in the future.”

“These are amazing. Thank you.” Draco marveled at how thoughtful her gift was. A few weeks ago, he’d been ambushed by some students while he’d been repotting mandrakes. They had snuck up on him and beaten him up, leaving him unconscious on the floor of the greenhouse. Mrs. Norris had found him. Ever since then, Draco hadn’t repotted mandrakes alone.

“You’re welcome.” Hermione smiled at him, pleased that her gift was well-received. She thought about how good he looked with the sleek pair on instead of the awful fluffy pink ones that he somehow always ended up with- although she wasn’t quite sure how, she knew the other students had somehow hidden the non-embarrassing earmuffs.

“I’m afraid your gift isn’t ready yet, but you should receive it sometime during the holidays,” he said, thinking of the young owl sitting in the Owlery. Hogwarts had more than enough owls, so Hagrid had agreed to let him give one of the owlets to Hermione for Christmas.

“That’s all right, as long as I get it before Christmas,” she joked. “I won’t accept it if it’s late.”

They grinned at each other for a moment, then Hermione laughed. “Just because you can hear me doesn’t mean you need to keep them on, it’s quite warm in here.” She reached up to take them off him in the same way she had slipped them on. He reached up at the same time, and his hand landed over hers.

“Oops.” Hermione blushed and giggled nervously, pulling away. Draco gripped her hand tighter and pulled her forward until their lips met. It was short, sweet, and clumsier than he’d have liked, but he was happy he’d done it.

“Mistletoe,” he said by way of explanation when he’d let her go.

She craned her neck to look above them. “Where?”

Draco looked up. “Hmm. It must have floated off. I could have sworn it was there earlier though.”

“Mistletoe isn’t grown in Greenhouse Seven,” she informed him.

“I know.” There was a cheeky glint in his eyes.

“It can, however, be taken from Greenhouse Four and enchanted to float around Greenhouse Seven.” Her voice wasn’t accusatory, but instead was rather sheepish.

His eyes widened for a split second before his grin broadened. “I know.”

He waited just until the penny dropped before pulling her into another kiss. Elsewhere in the greenhouse, two bunches of enchanted mistletoe floated in the air, forgotten, having accomplished their intended purpose.


End file.
